The 2026 ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials, held in Australia, delivered one of the most competitive regional qualifier events of the entire ADCC cycle. Eight athletes from four countries earned invitations to the World Championships in Krakow, Poland, in September, and six of them will be making their ADCC Worlds debut.
Reviewed by BJJ Gyms · Updated 2026-07-27
Sources: FloGrappling 2026 ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials recap; MMA Mania ADCC 2026 coverage.
The 2026 ADCC Asia and Oceania Trials produced winners across all eight weight divisions, with the spoils divided among four countries. Australia led the table with four champions: Roberto Frias at -88kg, Daniel Schuardt at -99kg, Nadia Frankland at Women's -65kg, and Matilda Reid at Women's +65kg. New Zealand contributed two champions: Kaya Rudolph at -77kg and Belal Etiabari at +99kg. Japan claimed gold in the Women's -55kg division through Kanae Ikeda. Kazakhstan's Bekzat Kapashov took the -66kg title.
The breadth of the podium across four nations is itself a measure of how much the Asia-Oceania region has grown in no-gi submission grappling depth over recent years. Not long ago, this regional qualifier was dominated heavily by Australian athletes from a small handful of academies. This cycle, the field included serious threats from Central Asia, East Asia, and New Zealand, and the results reflected that diversity.
The level of competition within individual brackets was also notable. Several matches that produced the tournament's most technically demanding exchanges, including the -88kg final and the Women's -65kg bracket, showcased finishing attempts and strategic passing work that would not look out of place at a professional grappling event. The qualifier format, with multiple rounds before the final, gave athletes the opportunity to demonstrate consistency rather than only a single-match performance.
Kaya Rudolph's run at -77kg was the most statistically dominant performance of the tournament. Rudolph, training at the Absolute MMA academy under Lachlan Giles in Australia, submitted four of his six opponents to reach the top of the podium. In a division where top-level competition routinely produces defensive, points-based matches, four submission finishes in six bouts is a statement. His path to Krakow ends months of speculation about whether his finishing rate in local and regional competition would hold up in international qualifying, and the answer at the Asia-Oceania Trials is a clear yes.
Belal Etiabari's +99kg victory was the day's most historically significant result. Etiabari became New Zealand's first-ever ADCC Trials winner, a genuine landmark for a country that has been steadily developing its submission grappling infrastructure. His +99kg gold resonates beyond the individual result, which has been steadily building competitive infrastructure over several years. Daniel Schuardt's dominant 11-0 run in the -99kg finals demonstrated the kind of technical scoring control that translates effectively to the longer ADCC World Championship format.
The Women's divisions also produced meaningful results. Kanae Ikeda's -55kg gold was described as one of the tournament's biggest upsets, with Ikeda defeating a division favorite in the final to claim her first ADCC Worlds berth. Nadia Frankland, long established as one of the region's top-ranked Women's -65kg competitors, finally converted her competitive reputation into a Trials championship, ending what organizers described as a long-awaited first title. Matilda Reid's +65kg gold rounded out Australia's dominant day on the women's side.
The ADCC World Championships in Krakow, Poland, take place September 12 and 13 at Tauron Arena, and the picture of who will compete is becoming clearer with each regional qualifier. The Asia-Oceania group adds eight athletes to a field that already includes invitees from Europe, North America, South America, and other regions. Six of the eight Asia-Oceania qualifiers will be making their first ADCC Worlds appearance, which historically has produced a mix of outcomes: some first-timers struggle with the intensity and tactical sophistication of the world stage, while others treat the debut as an opportunity to announce themselves with no history or expectations weighing on them.
For observers tracking the ADCC field, the Asia-Oceania results are a reminder that the depth of the event extends well beyond the names that make MMA headlines. Several of the athletes who qualify through regional trials each cycle have been competing in submission grappling for years without wide visibility, and the Worlds gives them a stage that their skills merit. Kaya Rudolph's submission-heavy run, for example, makes him a name to watch in the -77kg bracket alongside the already-known invitees.
The ADCC 2026 World Championships represent the highest level of no-gi submission grappling competition in the world, and watching the event, which streams on FloSports, is one of the most efficient ways to understand what elite no-gi technique actually looks like. For grapplers who want to train at that level, finding an academy with a strong no-gi program is the place to start. 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, the world's most influential no-gi system with more than 100 affiliates worldwide, is a natural home for grapplers who want to develop the skills the ADCC showcases. Find your nearest 10th Planet affiliate at 10thplanetjj.com.
Here are the athletes who punched their tickets to Krakow from the 2026 Asia and Oceania ADCC Trials:
BJJ Gyms is an independent directory, not a gym. We feature 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu as our recommended no-gi system. Always take a free trial and vet any academy yourself before committing.
The ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship is the most prestigious no-gi submission grappling event in the world. It is held every two years, with athletes qualifying through a global system of regional trials events. The 2026 edition takes place September 12-13 in Krakow, Poland, and streams on FloSports.
Roughly half the field receives direct invitations based on professional results and rankings. The other half qualifies through regional trials events held across North America, South America, Europe, Africa, and Asia-Oceania in the year before the World Championships. Winners of each weight division at each trials event earn a spot in the World Championships.
The event streams exclusively on FloSports (flosports.tv/flograppling). Both days are typically covered with live streaming and on-demand replay, making it accessible globally for fans of submission grappling.
Finding an academy with a strong no-gi program is the best first step. 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu is the world's most influential no-gi submission grappling system, with more than 100 affiliates across the United States and internationally. You can find your nearest affiliate and sign up for a trial class at 10thplanetjj.com.